WOYWW 818

 NOW IT'S THE SAME OLD SONG...

Hello all you lovely Deskers, hope all is well with you this week! It's been a case of the same old-same old here in the JanCave, sewing up a storm when it's grey and rainy outside. However we've had some lovely bright weather as well so we've been out walking on the beach too, gotta be done!

This sums up what I've been doing:

Using up stash fabric to make tote bags, string quilt squares and syringe driver bags (not shown cos I passed them on without taking a pic, doh. I did 22 in all)

I find it impossible to do completely random choices with the string quilts - I simply can't put two colours together if they don't look right, sad but true.

Each square ends up having a certain tone or colourway!

I made some bunting for the new grandson of a friend of mine who lives up in the Cairngorms:

And the spelling is right, I double checked!

Even though I stabilised the tartan fabric, it still frayed quite a bit but it looks good though. The pivot function on my machine makes sewing around the letters a breeze, so much quicker than before.

I found an YouTube artist called Hu Art, he does watercolour/zentangle mash-ups which I really like so I blew the dust off my paints etc and had a go:

I had fun and soon went off piste when following the tutorial...

Ok for a first attempt, I'd do another! 

That's it for this week, hope your crafting goes smoothly and you have fun! xxxxxxx

WOYWW 817

 GONNA USE IT UP...

Happy Wednesday everyone! I do like this mid week catch-up, it's the one day of the week that I actually know what date it is!

Goodness but this one has raced by, how can we be nearly at the end of January already? It has been a lovely sociable week when the weather has been kind and a crafting one when it's been grey and windy.

A long shot of the desk today! I was determined to really crack on with sorting out all those strips and scraps..

It was a long old job but here they are ready for making a scrappy quilt!

Chain piecing them through the machine, the whole process is so much quicker with the pivot function and auto thread cutting. It's also nice remembering all the fabrics I've worked with over the past year or so!

The moment of magic! I love trimming the blocks up, what looks messy immediately becomes neater. I do ten blocks at a time, just find it easier...

But I think I'm going to need a fair few more to make a cover for the bed in the JanCave!

I've also been using up some fabric that has been in the stash for a while, I really love it especially with the bright plastic snaps.

Last week I went for a reunion with some friends from grammar school days, we had loads of fun catching up:

There weren't many long awkward silences.....*grin* My friend had fantastic taste in art, right up my alley. I could have stolen this stained glass panel:

But my backpack wasn't quite big enough, lol! The maker does courses in Llandysul near Cardigan, I'm very tempted to do one,

Hope you have a marvellous week, may your crafting be happy and joyous xx

WOYWW 816

 REMEMBER THE DAYS OF THE OLD SCHOOLYARD..

It's hard to believe that Christmas was virtually a month ago! It has been cold and grey and so lots of sewing has been done in the JanCave, I'm building up my stock ready for the year.

Penguins, cats and moons, hoping there's something for everybody!

I love this fabric, might find it hard to let it go..... but there's only so many bags I can use at any one time, lol!

As well as stuff for my stall, I've also been using up stash fabric to make syringe driver bags for the oncology unit at a local hospital after seeing a plea on a FB group. I think it took longer to cut out and iron than it did to sew:

Hope they'll be useful.

Pretty fabric that was gifted to me by G's sister who got it from a charity shop, lovely quality too.

And talking of G:

He has made the momentous decision to get rid of all his vinyl, completely his idea (truly!)  He went through cherry picking what might be valuable, eg original pressings of David Bowie and the Sex Pistols and will set about getting them on eBay. There's some old memories there and we've dragged them around 5 house moves but it's a good thing to do!

Short and sweet today, I may be late commenting as I'm off out to lunch with five school friends in Carmarthen, it's a bit sobering that we've known each other for 53 years...... blimey.....

Have a good week!! xxxxx

WOYWW 815

 IF A PICTURE PAINTS A THOUSAND WORDS...

Hi everyone, hope you've had a good week! Mine has been busy and sociable with lots of time in the JanCave as well...perfect combo really.

On my desk a couple of days ago was a fellow Desker!

Lynnecrafts!! We had a good catch up whilst doing some crafting, Lynne was knitting, I was cutting strips from scrap fabric.

In the LH box are the cut strips. in the RH are the piles of fabric that just get thrown in after a project. I may be some time.... why do I never learn to do this straight away before I carry on to something else...sigh...

I've already used up some of the fabric that arrived last week, my new machine has speeded up the process incredibly!

And I'm halfway through the sunflowers! I tend to have a mammoth sewing couple of months when the weather's not so great and then I've got a good stock in for any craft fairs or the tearoom shelves.

The crochet squares are multiplying as well!

This is my section of the bookcase downstairs, honestly my stuff gets everywhere *grin* The file and books underneath the squares are all knitting and crochet patterns and other art books and supplies - if I carried on to the right my recipe books would come into view. This lot is usually behind a door so my mess isn't too obvious!

I'm coming into the purple and blues section now, woohoo! Using these bright colours has been ever so pleasing, I've really enjoyed making them.

That's it for this week, short and sweet - may your crafting be going smoothly! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WOYWW 814

 ALL THE COLOURS OF THE RAINBOW...

Well, that was a wild and woolly week eh? Though we missed the snow here on the coast, we had LOTS of rain and wind so it was the perfect excuse to stay in the warm and do some crafting! Not that I need much excuse...... *grin*

Here's the JanCave as of yesterday:

The basket contains items made from odds and sods from my stash and the pile of other fabric is what I spent my Christmas vouchers on! All the colours though I seem to be into hot pinks, oranges and berry tones at the moment.

Some old favourites plus I thought I'd give some tartan a go and that floral far right is a canvas type weave perfect for shopping and peg bags.

Now there's a sight to gladden the heart! Wonder how long it'll take me to get through that pile.....

Talking of bright berry colours:

I've done about 60 squares for the bed cover in the JanCave and am really enjoying working with these bright in your face shades. I've got another yellow and green ball lurking somewhere to add to the mix and have decided to crochet the squares together using a blackberry coloured yarn. These colours have been so enjoyable to work with!

But the flipside of exciting colourful fabrics is:

Fusible fleece...boring but essential. I have a mass cutting out session and that makes it easier.

I did the first Christmas jigsaw in two days so had a break and cracked open the second:

Different buildings of London, this was finished in a day and a half! I just can't help myself, once there's a jigsaw on the table, I can't leave it be. Suppose it's a harmless obsession really, could be worse, lol!!

Hope you're all keeping well and happy in this first week of a brand new year, onwards and upwards xx Enjoy your crafting!!

WOYWW 813

 LOVE AND JOY COME TO YOU

AND TO YOU YOUR WASSAIL TOO!

Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you joy, health and happiness in 2025 - last year was one of ups and downs for many of us, this one is going to be better!! 🤞🤞🤞🤞

The JanCave has seen some action, woohoo!

I've been sorting out the baskets to go in the Harbour Lights Tearoom when it reopens next week and also making some new sets out of a jungle fabric I already had. My boys gave me fabric vouchers, good lads, so I've a big parcel on order.

These two bags are from stash as well, I love those rows of little ducks, they make me happy.....

especially as they waddle along the handles. I tell you, it's the little details that are most pleasing.

I had some great Christmas presents, this fab little cross stitch was made by my mate Sue!

And I also got two jigsaws, the first for ages....

This should keep me quiet for five minutes......

But one of my bestest prezzies was from G:

This really made me happy, I love it and it'll take pride of place in the JanCave!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, sending love and hugs to you for another amazing year of friendship and crafting xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WOYWW 812

 WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Thank you so much for all your support, comments and inspiration this year, it is very much appreciated. I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas and wish you joy, health and happiness for the New Year xx

See you next year!! All my love, LLJ xxxxxxx